My wife and I will go to belize mid Feb 2006. Wondering where we should stay. Turtle Inn looks nice but I hear the swimming and snorkeling is not good nor is the beach... wondering also about turneffe island lodge and whether that might be better for swimming, snorkling, scuba etc... Also wondering about splitting the week half way between the coast the inland resorts such as Blancenaux or Chaa creek... what are these like? is it worth it to split up the week?

Turneffe atoll is remote and a lodge dedicated to divers, snorkelers, anglers and those wanting a remote quiet place. Onelodge per island. Fantastic marine and coral reefs. Turle Inn is a wonderful inn on the Placencia peninsula. Beach is okay, boat trips to the reef 19 miles away for snorkeling. Blancaneux and Chaa Creek are both wonderful jungle lodges and great for people wanting to see maya sites, go caving, take scenic jungle and river trips, ride horses, see waterfalls. If that interests you, it'll be best to split your trip between the beach and a jungle lodge for more diversity. Reef and rainforest are both exquisite.

We've been to Belize twice, one week apiece. Both times we split the time between jungle/inland and the beach (once Placencia, once a remote island in Glover's reef). We found it very doable, the distances did not seem great to us. (We used a driver from our Ignacio-area lodge to Placencia and it was only 3 hours.) And we liked the great variety of activities being in two so different areas affords.

thank you for your helpful responses. where did you stay on glover reef? how was it compared to when you stayed in placencia? it seems like placencia area has less to offer b/c no good beach and reef is FAR away- takes 1hour boat ride to get there... is this accurate?

I don't recall the boat ride from Robert's Inn/Placencia being a whole hour, but yes the reef is not close by. The beach was nice, swimming okay as I recall, we took a boat tour to see manatees and some jungle with monkeys south on the mainland. We played tennis, and drove one day to the Jaguar Reserve. Very laid back time, which we needed after the caving and other adventures during the jungle portion of the trip. But as you point out, not the best watersports place.

Through Slickrock we visited Long Caye on Glover's. If you like kayaking and snorkeling (the real enclosed ocean kayaks, not the sit-on-tops), this is the place. Beautiful island, fabulous instruction and outings with all kinds of kayaking/windsurfing/snorkeling. And a good dive operation just a stroll down the beach. But it's on the primitive side - no electricity, composting toilets, unheated outdoor shower facilities - so it's not for everybody. (They do use solar electricity for cooking and refrigeration, and the food was excellent.)

Though I wouldn't mind going back to Long Caye, I would love to find a place like that only with slightly more creature comforts. I'm looking into Turneffe Flats, Blackbird Caye Resort, Lighthouse Reef Resort, places like that. Anyone have ideas?

Also look at Isla Marisol or Manta at Glovers. Blue Marlin Lodge or Pelican on South Water Caye.